Sound The Siren! Cider is Hot

HE SEASON has turned and immersed in the whirlwind of changing leaves and early sunsets, I reach for a cider. The golden liquid fizzes provocatively with bubbles of effervescence, and the taste is crisp and delicious. Ah, the perfect autumn drink.

Suddenly, the blast of a siren rises and falls. Although the sound is coming from a firetruck, happily, there is no emergency. I realize the sound of the siren is coming from a gleaming red firetruck pumper, which dates to 1959 and gives the new Truck 59 Ciderhouse in West Kelowna its name.

I’m sitting in the tasting room perched high on the valley slope, sipping a chilled Cherry n’ Apple cider, and savouring a sweeping view of a newly planted apple orchard which marches in orderly rows down to Lake Okanagan. Under a cloudless sky, the temperature hovers in the low 30s and the bottle before me is covered in beads of condensation.

I’ve been lured to Truck 59 to investigate ciders’ immense surge in popularity in recent years, in particular craft ciders. Sales are soaring and ciders are appearing increasingly frequently on menus and wine and beer lists. In fact, of the 1,000 cideries operating in North America, about 80 per cent opened in the last three years. Truck 59, which only began operation in June this year, represents this fresh groundswell in the drink’s following. It is also unique in incorporating firefighter memorabilia in its design.

Russ Johnson, who sports a perpetually friendly smile, started the cider house with his wife, Helen, because they could sense the growing popularity of ciders — especially those made locally, often with unique twists, by artisans devoted to their craft. They also wanted to diversify their offering since there are more than 140 wineries in the Okanagan Valley. The Kelowna region has about 45 wineries, but only five cideries.

“Currently, we make four ciders,” says Russ. “The Classic, a dry English-style cider; the Modern, the Cherry n’ Apple, which contains six per cent organic cherry juice made inhouse; and the Raspberry Infused cider, which is also available in a can.”

After some experimentation I decided the dry, subtle taste of Cherry n’ Apple was my favourite.

As Russ notes, the versatility of cider is enormous, so the possibilities are endless. Ciders range from light and frisky to deep, rich and complex. Some ciders are barrel-aged and flavourings like lime, various berries like cherries and raspberries and even spirits like vodka or whiskey can be added to produce a kaleidoscope of flavours.

Cider’s resurgence is long overdue as it has a long history of consumption. Cider was enjoyed by the ancient Greeks

Sales are soaring and … of the 1,000 cideries operating in North America, about 80 per cent opened in the last three years.

and Hebrews 3,000 years ago. Celts in Britain and northern Spain made cider by harvesting wild crab apple trees. Gauls in northwestern France also made cider. Medieval farm hands in England received a rough cider — unfiltered and cloudy — as part of their wages.

For a long time, cider was more popular than beer or wine because it is easier to make. Furthermore, apples were readily available, whereas grain was needed for food and cattle. And apple trees are easier to tend than grapes or grains.

Cider requires apples that are more bitter and tart than eating apples. Growing suitable apples from seeds, however, is a gamble because the fruit of the new tree, for genetic reasons, seldom resembles the parent. Thus, grafting is the common method for propagating apple trees. Hundreds of cider apple types exist, with the classics coming from England and France. A master cidermaker must know the art of blending these many varieties.

One half of Russ and Helen’s five-acre farm was planted one year ago with root stocks grafted from cider apple trees. They own another 11-acre farm with seven acres planted in dessert apples. They also access apples via leases. So abundant is their apple supply that they provide the fruit to four other cideries.

Pear cider, or perry, can be produced alone or blended with apple cider. Since pear trees take several years longer to bear fruit than apple trees, and pears, once picked, don’t store as well, perry is not as common as cider. Ah, but its tangy taste is worth pursuing, I discovered.

Truck 59 is still in its early days but promises to become one of the must-see destinations in the Kelowna area.

“We’re planning a bistro, a large patio and an area for picnics. We’re also ramping up our cider production to reach 100,000 litres in four or five years,” Russ said.

In addition to its attractive panoramic views of the Okanagan Valley, Truck 59 is like a museum. The Chevy firetruck 59, which dates to 1959 and originally worked in Squamish, is the centrepiece. Russ, who has been collecting firefighting memorabilia for years, has acquired a second vintage firetruck, which will be equipped with a pizza oven, smoker and pig roaster. “We’re not going to be a vegan operation,” he smiles.

The sleek, red-and-gray tasting room also displays various firefighting artifacts, including several shining, brass fire extinguishers, some dating to the late 1800s, vintage fire helmets and also some old children’s toy firetrucks. You can sense the fire, smoke and action of firefighting history as you sip cider.

And as Russ explains, some of the money from Truck 59 will be donated to firefighters’ charities.

“The sky’s the limit with cider,” he adds, “and next spring we plan to make from eight to 10 cider types.”

He is reluctant to reveal what those might be, but suggests one cider could be infused with blackberries and aged in Kentucky-bourbon barrels. I silently vow to return in 2019.

No question, cider stimulates incredible creativity and artistry — and offers great taste.

If You Go

Truck 59 Ciderhouse, 3887 Brown Road, West Kelowna Open 10 am to 6 pm seven days a week (778) 754-1551

BY HANS TAMMEMAGI

PHOTOS BY DARREN HULL